For the Sake of Gaia
by Kyuubi16
Summary: Regent Cid hires a mysterious Mercenary to kidnap Princess Garnet. With war threatening to engulf the world what is the mysterious blond mercenary's connection? And why does he keep asking about Ramen?
1. The Job!

For The Sake of Gaia

0  
>Naruto x Garnet<br>0  
>Author's Note<br>0  
>This is an AU that doesn't include Zidane, but unlike most stories of this type I will go through the process of having a reason as to why he isn't there except, I'm not going to mention him and just replace him with Naruto like quite a few stories. Anyway, chances of a Naruto x Final Fantasy story that isn't seven, eight (usually the most terrible), and ten are practically nonexistent.<p>

This is why Kyuubi16 exists so enjoy.

0  
>Story Start<br>0  
><em><br>_

_The sky was thickly blanketed by dark, stormy clouds that were just part of the ferocious weather contributing to the violet waves. Waves rose only to curl and crash back into its lower mass. Foam was laced atop of the violent waters, a sign of constant crashing. Such violence. Within the waters was a small boat with a sail becoming tattered and the rest of the body becoming chipped._

_The small ship was then pushed off the wave by a bossy wind, and it flew and landed gruffly back on the water. The two females inside were struggling to keep the ship and course steady. One of the females appeared to be a little girl, with raven hair and brown eyes that were almost black, complimenting fair skin. She appeared to be a little less than six-years-old. Fear was in her wide eyes and she seemed to struggle to keep her hood on for a moment, thought more concerned with the confusion and terror that was going on. The other female resembled the younger, only looked far older. She was struggling to keep the ship on course, her eyes widened and mouth opened-to scream?_

The fair skinned woman awoke from the nightmare with a jolt and gasp. She rubbed her deep brown eyes and moved the raven hair from her forehead. She stared out the window she had fallen asleep in front of. She stood up from the chair she was seated in and moved closer towards the partially opened window for a better breath of fresh. She caught sight of a flock of white birds soaring, watching them fly to freedom with a longing gaze.

Her slender arms reached for the windows and she closed it, sighed, and pulled herself away from it, her dress rustling from the movement. She moved in front of a full-length mirror-just for some last-minute check-ups to be sure that she looked okay. She wore a long white dress, flowing, and designed with blue-green threads, mostly on the top of her gown, making an intricate pattern on an elegantly simple dress. She wore a small little headdress of silver that had a small pattern of what looked like flowers. Her hair was tied in a very low ponytail a little below her waist, the holder of the ponytail being of gold-craft. All throughout the castle preparations were being made for the festival. 

The afternoon proceeded with the sun slowly dipping, letting the blue-sky age, with a rich golden hue of sunlight illuminate the land scape with a visual array of dazzling colors. He was lazily sitting upon the top of a sky-vessel as it puffed out ivory clouds. Unlike how many stories portray a lack of inertia or the fact there was a lot of noise is space despite the fact it wasn't true the young man on top of the ship had a particular ability that allowed him to stay on top of the vessel. He was there because of the special mission given to him by Regent Cid.

With a yawn he stretched and went further up, sticking to the vessel by focusing the energy known as chakra to his feet. Putting his hand over his face to protect from the harsh stinging winds he caught site of a majestic Alexandria. The City that shared the same name of the summon creatures, whether by the name Eidolon or Espers those holy creatures were often the most powerful of the summons. Naruto decided to head inside the Prima Vista, the name of the vessel with the mermaid front piece with gracious wings.

He came inside and noticed members of Tantalus were gathered. The grunts were tired and out of breath. Marcus, a red bandana wearing man dressed more fit for a pirate and there was Cinna, a chunky and bare-belly chef looking guy with a hammer. Then there was the large bearded man of red-orange hair. Apparently the meeting was set to go.

"All right, Baku started after laughing, with a seriousness sliding in and erasing the traces of his brief merriment. "Let's get this meeting started already." Baku had walked across the room, to the door, and into the other room. Blank, an orange hair and dust topped young man (the most capable of the grunts as far as Naruto was concerned) entered the room. They all then moved straight into the room Baku had entered. The meeting began. He sat at a table, everyone gathered 'round-distanced, but still they were gathered. Baku had a model of Alexandria castle in front of him, he held up a hideous doll that was loaned to him by Cinna. It was a doll of the Princess or so was said.

"Okay, here's the plan. Tantalus, the most infamous band of daring thieves (that's us) is headin' to the kingdom of Alexandria.'' Naruto lightly snorted and rolled his eyes.''Our mission: To kidnap the heir to the throne, Princess Garnet."

"I'll take it from here, so listen up!" Cinna stood up and pulled out a mini-version of the Prima Vista. "Our ship's about to dock at Alexandria, and when it does we'll put on our costumes and perform 'I Want to Be Your Canary,' the most popular play in Alexandria! Break a leg, Marcus! 'Cause you're playin' the lead."

"Leave the actin' to me. Of course, the real kidnappers'll be Blank and Mr. Uzumaki over there.'' Marcus jerked his finger to the blond standing off to the side. He wasn't a member of Tandalus, it was just a simple job to which Naruto needed an air vessel which he lacked.

"I'll distract the audience from backstage with these little buggers." Blank pulled out an oglop-an annoying type of bug found all over Gaia. He frowned in disgust at the creature before putting it back in a jar within a pouch he carried with him. "I can't stand oglops! But, I'll manage so don't worry about me. Then that'll be your cue, Uzumaki."

''Okay.'' he nodded.

"That's right," grinned Baku. "You're going to kidnap the most babe-ilicious beauty in all of Alexandria, Princess Garnet."

Down and below in the city there wasn't a single person that didn't notice or stare at the flying vessel in awe. Wide eyes and fingers pointed. One little person in particular with large yellow eyes and a bad ass hat in particular stood out. He was a per-adolscent, maybe about nine or ten years of age with puffy striped pants and blue jacket. His face though was shrouded in a cloud of darkness.

Adjusting his hat and clutching his ticket he started heading north to the narrow street, not all quite sure where to go. Confidence had barely begun to settle within the little guy when he suddenly he felt a sharp impact from behind that deterred his balance. He fell forward on his belly, his ticket slipping from the grasp of his ruby-gloved hand. He closed his eyes and the brief pain and shock evaporated, then he heard a soft voice from behind. It was a girl's voice, by the sound of it. A young girl. 

"Oops, sowwy! Are you awight?"

He got himself up, and looked at the girl. His eyes didn't allow him to express himself well, but he was trying to express that he wasn't angry. All he knew that he was 'different' from most people and it took effort to express himself. It was the look in people's eyes that said it all.

"Here, you dwopped your ticket!" She said and she handed it to him. He took if from her, thought of saying thanks, but she was off with a small "Bye-bye" as a parting.

He took a few more steps down the street, kids passing by him as he tried to ask one of them for help. Then once more he smacked into another person ''Oww! Why you-get outta my way!" It was a boy, probably about his age, and he sounded gruff. The pointy-hat kid got up, looked around but the only glimpse he got of this person was the back of him, not bothering to turn around and help him up or apologize. 

The pointy-hat kid had eventually come to a guy named Mick after deciding to wander around and such. Mick told him to go to the Town Square and go to the ticket booth, which was in a large tent. He thanked the man called Mick and hurriedly went on his way to the tent. The Ticketmaster was there and greeted him merrily. "Can I help you, son?"

"Uh..umm," started the timid little one. So excited at being so close to seeing the play he couldn't even respond 'Yes, sir,' so he just silently showed the man his ticket. However, to the kid's dismay, the Ticket Master frowned and looked over the card as if it had something troubling on it. "What's this!" Said the Ticketmaster. "There's something odd about this ticket. Why, it's another fake! I've seen so many today."

The child as he hung his head in despair. Fake? Why would someone do something as horrible as sell him a fake ticket? I hadn't done anything to deserve it. "Now, now," a voice broke in to his sorrow. The Ticketmaster continued, "I know just how you must feel. Here, I'll give you these. Do try and cheer up." The Ticketmaster gave him some cards. Well, this cheered him up a little. He wasn't very good, only playing a few times mostly with grandpa, but with more cards surely he would get better.

The little traveler couldn't help but feel a little dejected. Disappointment filled him as he wondered the alleyway.

"Hey, you! Shrimp!" called a familiar voice. "You're the one with the phony ticket aint'cha?" It was that rat kid that ran into him and didn't apologize! "I saw the ticketmaster tell you it was fake!" The rat-kid smirked.

The young mage admitted it was fake.

"Ha, I knew it! Hey, I'll let ya see the show...if you become my slave! So, what do ya say?"

"All...right." The young mage was a bit uncertain. But, then again, it's not like he had anything to loose and he really wanted to see that show. And he doubted that the little kid wasn't serious as meaning a literal sleeve. "Awesome!" Said the rat-kid. "Now for you're first assignment."

Night soon fell and while Naruto's clone took his place Naruto looked around town. Out of the corner of his eye he swore he saw some kid with a bad ass hat and a rat kid scrambling across the roofs. He sighed and continued going about the business of buying items. He couldn't help it, but he sensed something was amiss besides the kidnapping plot of course. Though he was soon shooed off as the only people who could have their shops opened were those with prime seats. The show would be starting soon. So he quickly went about to getting in place. As he closed in the sound of audience clapping filled his ear.

At the show, or the outskirts, Vivi the black mage and Puck, the name of the rat boy slinked behind the last row of chairs, behind the nobles. As they turned around to situate themselves and finally gaze at the stage-on-the-ship, the orchestra ceased it's practice and the audience clapped. Vivi and Puck clapped along with the crowd.

Above on the balcony, where the royal throne was holding a large woman in colorful adornments, was a smaller chair next to it, which sat the delicate Princess Garnet. Her head was lowered in a growing sorrow. She already had a plan. The princess lifted her head and briefly glanced at the Prima Vista. As she made up her mind to escape upon the ship she couldn't help but think about breaking the heart of her mother and her people.

Steiner watched as the orchestra started flipping through pages to finally start the show. The audience was clapping. He smiled. Surely the princess must have been excited considering how the performance seemed to be on the forefront of her mind. He looked at her, to absorb in her reaction at it beginning to start. He was shocked to see her sad expression, mingled with a small tinge of anger. His face dropped. However, he recollected himself. Deciding that she would surely cheer up when the performance began.

Steiner rose his sword, the reflection slid off the silvery side. The signal to begin. The orchestra's music suddenly resounded and fireworks went off and confetti snowed the audience. The orchestra's pit lifted to display a stage with a scene of a castle. Queen Brahne was quite taken with the music, she rose from her seat and danced with the utmost glee.

The music and excitement ended, leaving Vivi and Puck wide-eyed and wondering what more amazing things were to come. Then, onto the stage stepped a purple-bearded man dressed in a fancy and colorful robe. "Ladies and Gentlemen," he began. "Tonight's story takes place long, long ago. Princess Cornelia is torn from her lover, Marcus. She attempts to flee the castle only to be captured by her father, King Leo..."

Naruto finally relieved his clone of its duty. He caught sight of the raven haired beauty. 'She seems...sad.' he couldn't help but noted.

''Oi, mercenary. The show's about to start!' one of the Tantalus members called out to him.

With a nod informing the other man that he heard Naruto went about getting into character.


	2. The Escape

For The Sake of Gaia

0  
>Naruto x Garnet<br>0  
>Author's Note<br>0  
>This is an AU that doesn't include Naruto, but unlike most stories of this type I will go through the process of having a reason as to why he isn't there except, I'm not going to mention him and just replace him with Naruto like quite a few stories. Anyway, chances of a Naruto x Final Fantasy story that isn't seven, eight (usually the most terrible), and ten are practically nonexistent.<p>

This is why Kyuubi16 exists so enjoy.

0  
>Story Start<br>0

The lights were dimed as Naruto hurried to his position, and the boys waiting in the wings, quickly prepared for the play, and everything that would follow. A spotlight focused in on them; Naruto was knelt on one knee, head low over an exposed blade with Cinna and Blank either side of him.

"Bereft of father! Bereft of mother!" Blank said with theatrical sadness. "Marcus! Thou hast lost even they love!"

"Fortune hath escap'd thee! For what end shaft thou live?" Cinna added.

Naruto took his queue, pushing up of his knee to raise the sword high in one hand like a war bacon. "For the sake of our friend, let us bury our steel into the heart of the wrenched King Leo!"

Simultaneously, his comrades shouted "Aye!"

At a practised pace, the trio ran onto the main area of the stage where thunder was roaring, and lightning flashing in the backdrop behind the cardboard castle. From the castle entrance they rounded to where Marcus was standing opposite King Leo, two rhino guards at his flanks.

"We shall back thee, Kinsman!" cried Blank. Marcus shook his head in disagreement.

"Pray, sheath thy swords! This villain is mine alone!" he replied, his eyes never leaving his enemy.

"Nay, kinsman!" Cinna said. "For I, too, have lost a brother to this fiend!"

"What ho?" King Leo laughed. "Out, vermin! Away! Thou darest bare thy sword before the King! All who stand in my way will be crush'd!" Marcus unsheathed his blade, the sound intensified by someone rubbing two sheets of metal together off stage.

"Treacherous Leo," Naruto began in disgust, "my kinsman's suffering shall not be in vain! For I shall instruct thee in his incomparable pain!"

Naruto began the battle with a display of fake magic, signalling to the guys backstage by touching the hilts of the twin daggers he was loaned together, and saying "Medeo!" He jumped, arm raised into the air as if casting the spell. A large, lethal ball flew out from the crevice above the sage, streaming colourful ribbons tied to its sides. It landed on Baku, who feigned a wince, and burst like a piñata realising vibrant smoke over the line of villains. The crowd gasped in amazement and cheered. Marcus stepped forward next dealing a quick blow to the Rhino on King Leo's left, making an over-the-top grunt. The rhino gagged, and flopped down the ground, twitched but then fell still. Blank, took out the second rhino guard in much the same way, leaving only King Leo, Marcus's sworn enemy standing to fight, sword raised high. He charged forward, shouting "Taste steel!" and slashed at Marcus, receiving jeers and gasps from the crowd. Marcus played on their sympathies, by clutching at his arm, where sham blood now dripped.

With a wave of his hammer, Cinna gave the next signal to the backstage crew. "Pyro!" he cried, and sharply brought his arms down again. Red smoke billowed up from the woodwork, giving the illusion that Baku had been set aflame. He moaned in agony, and the embers trickled away. In the time it took King Leo to recover, Naruto brandished the daggers, and slashed at the large man, flipping away to avoid a counter; Blank followed suit landing a lower hit than Naruto had, and narrowly missing a strike to the face. Rumbling with rage, Baku, pounded his legs calling "poly!" to the heavens, and setting the backstagers to action once again. Stars gathered around Blank, flowing in dark blue streams, and clustering into a ball above his ruby mane. The ball flared with purple and jade, and someone out of view ran a stick across a set of chimes. The light coursed down onto Blank, who yelped with displeasure, but shook the pain off, his character stubborn and strong. Angered by the attack on his friend, Naruto came in for another attack, giving Marcus a moment to angle in the final blow. He struck the man, as practised, on the chest, causing Baku to drop his weapon, to clutch mournfully at his wound, and stagger away to the stairs, abandoning the fight.

"Arrg … Grr…" he cried, half furious, and half agonised. He mounted the steps with a staggered gait, eager to run but too wounded to go quickly. When he reached the castle top, he called down to his rivals. "Thou hast not seen the last of me, Marcus!"

"Come back!"

After spitting the words, Naruto hurried to chase the King, but in a twist that sent the audience reeling in surprise, Blank jumped in his way. Infused with the need to catch the evil villain, Naruto slashed his sword at the guy; the red-head hopped up the staircase, his weapon drawn.

"Consider this, Naruto! If Prince Schnieder were to marry Princess Cornelia, peace would reign over both their kingdoms!"

"Tis foolishness! If all were so easy, why, none would suffer in this world!" Naruto retorted.

He continued up the stairs, this time in pursuit of his friend, now a traitor to their cause; Blank hurried to the top of the castle, and stopped to face Naruto there. Their swords met with a resounding crash. Naruto withdrew the blade quickly to swing at his counterpart again, but Blank shied away from the blow with a skilled movement, and countered aiming for Naruto's feet. Careful and precise, Naruto leapt into the air to avoid the slash. His landing forced Blank to move further along the wall; Naruto hit high, but Blank ducked away; swiftly Naruto swung the blade again, overcome with wroth for his brother, Blank flipped out of his reach. Their swords clashed again, as they swung for each other at the same time. Blank avoided one more strike, and then sprung over the wall, down onto the stage below and began to run to the stands.

"Come back here!" Naruto cried, hurtling after him.

The fight of the brothers was always a popular scene, because of the tragedy surrounding their relationship, and it was one they needed to make the most of now. Naruto pursued Blank down to the stands, and across onto a narrow platform underneath the balcony where the nobles and the queen could easily see them.

"En garde!"

"Expect no quarter from me!"

Naruto followed Blank's lead composing a fight with him from a set of basic moves which could be adapted depending on how the crowd reacted. The motion of Black's sword and body would instruct Naruto on what to do next, but their reactions needed to be in perfect sync. They ducked, leapt and flipped out of the way of their opponents' blade, moving back and forth along the platform so all the nobles could witness the fight, allowing their swords to occasionally crash together dramatically before resuming the onslaught. After a few minutes, feigning exhaustion, Blank exclaimed "We shall finish this later!"

"Come back here!"

They ran towards the castle, to a small servant's door near the stands, and after a quick glance at the balcony to check they weren't being observed, crept inside.

Naruto and Blank were moving on to the sword fighting scene as Garnet left to go put on her traveling clothes. The two men ran off the stage and thrust and parried within their fight. Naruto and Blank both had to drop on their side for dramatic ducks, and Naruto often dared to do a back flip, getting loud 'ahhhs' from the crowd. Their swords often collided, making some audience members jump. A particular black mage gasped at every time the swords bumped. When Naruto and Blank were through they received a lot of Gil from a very pleased audience, including Queen Brahne herself!

Naruto and Blank collected the Gil then ran...inside to Alexandria Castle.

Garnet got into her yellow-orange traveling clothes that covered most of her body and went over silken, white undershirt and garments. She wore red, leather gloves and a blue ponytail holder that held her low ponytail at her waist. Her retractable rod was hidden somewhere up her sleeve, locked in place by clever bindings upon her lower arm.

After willing her fear aside, she started to leave her room, putting on her cape and hood. She was now donned in pink silk. She walked around the castle, thankful that the Pluto Knights were too lax that they often left their posts. She was able to sneak by and arrive nearer to the exit without anyone catching her. Just then, she heard footsteps, right as she was passing the spiraling staircase.

"I wonder what part the play has gone to now."

"Wonder what part the play has now gone to, I do too."

_Zorn and Thorn! _She quickly drew in a panicked breath and wondered what to do now! They would see right through her disguise and report her to mother, where she'd surely get into trouble. Garnet had to hide quickly! She looked all around herself, trying to think of where to hide. Her mother's chamber, Zorn and Thorn wouldn't randomly transerse into there. Entering the room she felt an odd sense of surrealism. A sense of sadness washed over her as she couldn't remember the last time she entered her mother's chamber without instruction or facing a scolding. Her mother changed over the years, starting shortly after her father died. Garnet dove into the room and hid away from prying eyes.

Garnet's eyes spied something sparkling in the distance on her mother's dress-drawer. It was the royal pendant! "I must take it, otherwise I might not be recognized among the guards at Lindblum!" She took the pendant and rose it over her head and put it on. Around her neck was the safest place she found for it.

The guards were made short work of. Naruto used a henge as he recieved the package from Blank. From the ground it could jump about half of Naruto's entire height, and it made a strange warbling noise. Annoyed, Blank turned and caught the little beast between his slimy gloved hands, and held it upside down by its spindly legs.

"Alright! I should be able to put the Princess to sleep with one of my illusions.'' Naruto stated as they went out into the hallway.

Outside, the hallway split in three directions. The red carpet lining the elaborate tiles, stretched up a staircase, and divided both left to the door Naruto and Blank had first come through, or right further into the palace.

"According to recon," began Blank, his tone much more serious now, "the royal box should be right above these stairs!"

"Got it!"

A chorus of saddened cries erupted from the audience outside. Both Naruto and Blank turned to the door, suspecting which scene had just ended. Cinna's character had just met his end.

"Uh-oh! The scene where Marcus sneaks into Cornelia's chamber is about to start!" cried Blank. "Let's get this over with before the finale, okay?"

Naruto didn't answer, but hastened instead to the stairwell twisting up to the royal box. Above, the path split again to the balcony door on the right and another set of doors on the left, which if Naruto remembered correctly, would take him to the private chambers. As he was rounding the last of the steps, the left hand doors opened; suspecting it was another guard, Naruto spun and upped his guard, ready for a fight. Though insteaad of a guard a young woman dressed in a white hooded jacket came running towards him. Startled by his sudden appearance, the girl in the cowl, stopped also.

"Umm… would you please let me pass?" she kept her head and voice low, and spoke with a sheepish politeness.

Her scent was what puzzled him though. No hint of steel or other such scents that indicated she was a solider. There was also no scents indicating she was a cook, in fact she smelled of fancy lotions. Was she a noble of some sort? ''Are you a noble?'' he suddenly pressed, watching her seize up.

"N-no, I-I'm not..." she shook her head impatiently.

''Why don't I believe you.'' he said as he grabbed at her, allowing a brief glance of the face under the white hood.

''What are you doing mercenary?'' Blank's appearance had momentairly distracted the blond and in the moment the flustered girl scatted off.

Naruto headed after the girl down the stairs.

"Who the heck was that!" Blank asked.

Not stopping, Naruto answered him "Damnit theif that was Princess Garent!" he hopped over the splayed form of Blank on the floor in pursuit of her.

"Are you serious!"

Emerging from the shadows of the castle's shrubbery, came two small jesters who were dressed in oversized clown outfits of blue and pink. They had their faces painted to show no emotion and had a large hat protruding with bells dangling from it all around their head. The one in pink was Thorn and she held her face in terror seeing that Garnet had run away with a family treasure. Zorn, the one in blue, was frightened at what the queen would do to them if she found out the crisis. It would be best to report this to the queen as soon as possible no matter what the consequences may be...

They ran together as if perfectly syncronized into the empty castle complaining at every room they entered.

"We are in trouble!"

"Trouble are we in!"

The jesters ascended the stairs and they shouted at each other of the possibilities the Queen could do with them.

"This is terrible!"

"Our heads, Queen Brahne will have!"

They jumped up and down and made faces of agony through the white and black paint smeared on their faces and continued to run up the stairs.

"We must hurry!"

"Hurry, we must!"

As they continued they journey to the queen they constantly reminded themselves of the trouble they were in and what the Queen could, would, and shouldn't do to them. They were just jesters to the eye but powerful mages underneath and that could have stopped any thief. Just as they reached the spiralling staircase, Zorn almost ventured outside to the crowds.

"The right way, that is not!"

"I know that is not the right way!

Thorn regarded Zorn's poor attempt to convince her that he didn't know where he was going.

"Really, do you?"

"I really do!"

"Wonder, I sometimes do."

Thorn rocked back in forth in a very infantile oftened always behaved this awkwardly, mimicking what the other said and using exaggereated movements.

"N-Now is not the time to wonder!"

"Hurry to Queen Brahne, must we!"

"We musy hurry to Queen Brahne!"

As if realizing what their main objetive had been, they went up the stairs and this time it was Thron who was distracted in another direction. She tried opening the doors of the Princess's chambers when Zorn squeeked behind her.

"That is not the right way!"

"N-Not the right way, I know!"

"Do you really?"

"Know I really do!"

Thorn was infurtiated that Zorn was mocking her and she too was just as stubborn as he as to not admit his mistake. In a repeating manner Zorn sarcastically stated, "I really wonder sometimes."

"Th-The time to wonder, now is not!"

As if to change the subject Thorn jumped up and screamed aloud, "Hurry to see Her Majesty, we must!"

"We must hurry and tell her Majesty!"

The two jesters stumbled onto each other in the excitement to see the Queen. They yelled as they entered the balcony where the Queen was watching the performance as if to announce their entrance.

"Your Majesty!"

"See the queen, we must!"

Zorn and Thorn approached Adelbert Steiner who saluted them with a fist to his heart, his face stern and his priorities made up way before they had arrived. His voice was like a commander reprimanding his soldiers for interrupting his speech.

"Her Majesty is busy! Come back later!"

"Is it an emergancy?"The voice that came from the other side of the Queen's balcony was soft yet determined; strong willed but not demanding. It called for respect and the woman who approached was definately respected for all she had done and the warrrior she had become. General Beatrix stood before them pushing elegantly the locks of her chocolate brown hair out of her face. Her features were exquisite from what people could see and she wore a band from her forehead to the bottom right of her face hiding her eye. Her thick hair was curled at her ends by her muscular shoulder and she wore a revealing yet functionable outfit, her sword stowed away in a sheath on her hip. She approached the jesters saluting them as well. They decided to explain to her the problem.

"Her Royal Highness..."

"..Princess Garnet..."

"Is in terrible danger!" They said that last part in unison.

"I see," General Beatrix said. "I'll see what I can do. Wait here."

She walked over towards the lump of queen that seated herself on the throne. She salute the queen by balling her fist and letting it hit the center of her chest and, straight as an arrow, let it stretch out in front of her and fall to her side. "Your majesty," Started Beatrix.

"What is it! Can't you see I'm watching the show?" Responded and irritated Queen Brahne, eyes glued to the happenings on stage. The crowd let out a gasp, as did the queen. Beatrix frowned inwardly and felt very stupid for disturbing the queen. She was also mad and Zorn and Thorn for causing her to do this! Beatrix cleared her throat. "Your majesty, Princess Garnet has run off with the royal pendant." There was no point in mentioning the danger part. It would worry the queen, believed Beatrix.

"Well of all the-what could she be thinking? Well, go find her! General Beatrix and uh..."

"Steiner...Captain Steiner." Steiner whispered, hoping she'd remember.

"Ah, Captain Steiner!"

Go figure, she remembered. He straightened his posture and moved his muscled bulk to her right side and saluted, hand going to his head before resting at his side.

"Go find Princess Garnet." Ordered Queen Brahne, unconcerned that her daughter was apparently missing and she was more focused on the play.

Steiner stole no look at the unsightly queen, but saluted and obliged and left to go round up his knights. He was disappointed in that he had to go get them all individually and that Squad Beatrix seemed better disciplined.

Naruto had chased the Princess down to the roof of one of the buildings. She was standing on top of one of he brick structures as their eyes met. He glanced up, revelling for a moment in the beauty of her face in the glow of the tower's lanterns. The princess merely smiled at the boy, her eyes holding a vaguely familiar sensation to him as she slowly edged over to the side. ''Hey wai...'' she went over the edge. ''Shit!'' Naruto swore as he watched her fall. He watched as the Princess swung from one of the ropes hanging from the theather ship.

Naruto leaped after her, swinging from flag banners and bouncing off columns. He made sure to keep an eye on the girl as the wind caused his hair to fly back. Both airbound denizens flew over the crowds in the stands from their momument. Naruto landed on all fours shortly after the princess landed on the Orchestral box.

During this whole thing the Captain of the Pluto Knights was making his way to the stage. He was thankful the princess didn't come to any visible harm, but if he didn't hurry she would be lost to him. The knight removed a string of flags from the tower and tied it around his waist; there wasn't time to calculate his trajectory! The princess was in danger! The magnificent feeling of soar like a bird was soon replaced by fear as his haste only lead to pain. Letting out a scream, Steiner flailed his arms, trying with all his might to slow his speed, but it did no good. The rope snapped with a freighting creak, sending Steiner airborne, lurching him with a force of the momentum he'd gathered straight into a face-full of wood. He crashed with such power the planks splintered, buckling to make room for his form. He was wedged to a stop when the thrust died away, and was left hanging amid a powering of dust, half-in and half-out of the ship. Severed wood fell past his twitching leg as he momentarily passed out.

Back with the others Garnet was still giving chase. Naruto had long since decided not to sweat it and just simply follow after the Princess, waiting for her to tire herself out instead of stressing about it. It wasn't like she would be able to get away. Sure enough she ran into that tealed haired Tantulus girl Ruby.

"Hold yer horses, there! Whut kinda cattle you chasin', darlin'?" Princess Garnet didn't understand the question, so she let the woman continue. "You should at least say yer sorry!"

"Please pardon me," the princess responded, placing her hands over her heart in apology. "I was in a hurry, you see …"

"And here I am, fixin' to get ready fer my big entrance!" complained the girl, waving her hands about dramatically.

''Its futile to keep running.'' Naruto remarked as he stepped through the door. The girl of course took off once again. ''I'll handle this Ruby-san. Just tell the boss its time we high tail it out of here.'' he informed the teal haired woman. He was relieved when the young woman finally decided to stop woman. ''Have you decided to stop giving chase or are you tired?''

"Do you …" she began, uncertain. "Do you work on this theatre ship?"

Naruto shook his head. ''I was contracted for a job. I am not a native to this kingdom if thats what you mean.''

"As you have no doubt suspected … the truth is that … I am actually…" the girl finally lifted her hood to her hairline revealing her famous beauty in its entirety. Her heart shaped face was tainted with a subtle worry which had wiggled its way into her otherwise angelic features. "… Princess Garnet Til Alexandros, heir to the throne of Alexandria." She placed her hands out in front of her as if about to pray. "I have a favour I wish to ask of you… I wish to be kidnapped … right away."

Naruto gave her a wry look and rose an eyebrow. Without a doubt there was much desperation rolling off the girl and something else? Fear? Uncertainty. Regardless just seeing her, just looking at her rreminded him of Hinata that even if he wasn't on contract he highly doubted he would have said no.

"Princess! Where are you!"

Someone was shouting down the corridor. ''Must be friends of yours as I sure as hell don't recognize that voice.'' and whoever was coming was wearing very heavy armor if that jangling in Naruto's ears was an indication.

"Please," she begged, "They've come for me!"

''Very well...'' Naruto replied with a nod. ''I'll hide you.''

"Thank you. You have my gratitude," she replied, but she still sounded unsteady.

_"What are you two doing? Come on, this way!"_

Naruto vaguely recognized the voice, but the Princess let out a scream and ran behind Naruto as he was standing. She clutched onto his arm with both hands and buried her face deep behind her hood to avoid being seen.

"Don't worry, Princess its one of the members of Tantulus.''

"Oh, really?" she hesitated a moment, but let go of Naruto. "I am sorry. You startled me."

"Man, that hurts!" he complained, stomping. "I wash up every morning, you know!"

_"Princess!"_ That voice and jangling got louder.

"This way!" said Cinna, pointing behind him to the meeting room.

"Alright, we'll follow you!" Naruto said as he turned to the Princess and gave her a reassuring nod. ''Go on ahead, I'll cover the rear and keep you out of sight.''

The latch clicked open and Steiner, after an unsavoury journey through corridors of abandoned costumes which all looked the same, finally made it into a space which looked unique. "Princess?" he called. He was so sure he had heard her troubled voice from inside; where had that vagrant dragged her?

He kept calling to her, listening for even a muffled reply, perhaps through a gag of some kind. "Princess… Princess! Princess …? PRINCESS! Princess?" his cries received no response.

At last another of his knights came charging in after him. "Where have you been!" Steiner demanded, but then he noticed it was the same knight who had secured the tower. The name and number still escaped him, but that was of no importance now.

"Sir! I'm sorry, Sir!" replied the knight, dutifully.

Steiner turned, about to report the circumstances to his one capable man, but he closed his mouth again when he noticed the door on the left wall. In the momentary quiet, he thought he could hear voices."Princess!" Steiner tried one last time.

Inside the meeting-room, Naruto noticed a problem. ''I hope there's some sort of hidden passage on this ship.'' Cinna started laughing at the comment.

"Hehehe. I thought this might happen," he said, cheerfully and proudly. "Open!" Cinna stamped his foot once on a loose panel of flooring. The table sprung up as if hinged by its two back legs, and sat vertically concealing the strategy board behind it. "Sesame!" with another pound of Cinna's boot, a circular hatch which had otherwise been hidden by the table, flipped open to reveal an exit. Buzzing and clanking could be heard below, the familiar noises of the engine. "So I set up this escape hatch!"

_"Princess!"_

Garnet turned towards the voice. Shadows moved in the gap below the door.

"Come on! Jump inside" Cinna encouraged. He stretched his arms up, and pencil jumped into the hole. Garnet wasted no time and bound down through the narrow space to the engine below; once she was through Naruto plunged down also.

Steiner checked the surroundings, but stopped when he saw the perfectly trimmed hole in the centre of the room. "The princess must be down there!" he concluded. His knight stepped forward, peering at the hole hesitantly before puffing out his chest.

"I-I'll go first, sir!" he proclaimed, and he lunged himself at the gap. Unfortunately, the armour casing his body added more girth to the boy than he had anticipated. He landed with his back wedged in the hole, his arms and legs flailing about like an upturned tortoise's. Try as he might, the man couldn't wiggle himself free.

"Hey!" cried Steiner, "What do you think you're doing!"

"Captain, sir! I'm stuck, sir!"

"Grrrr! Blast it!"

Steiner recognised the rattling of an engine and that gave him his next destination. He hurried away to find another path to the lower decks, leaving the nameless knight to ponder his own ineptitude. However, the moment he was gone, the 'knight' allowed the smirk he had been concealing to blossom. Ceasing his pretend struggling, he turned to ensure the hunk of metal had clambered fully from view, and revelled in his ability to act the role._"Hehehe. He bought it!"_


	3. The Escape Part 2

For The Sake of Gaia

0  
>Naruto x Garnet<p>

0  
>Story Start<br>0

The hole opened up directly above the engine, a giant vessel pumping filtered mist through the ship's mechanisms. Cinna clunked down onto the metal bulk feeling the heat quickly rising through his shoes, and swiftly bounced off again onto a platform used to access the mist-distribution valve. Princess Garnet and Naruto followed after, taking a moment to readjust themselves once they made it back to solid ground.

Various smells filled the engine room, the wirring sounds of machinery and the smell of hot iron filled the room. ''I have to say Princess you're a bit more athelethic then I expected.'' most of the princesses Naruto knew in the past were more like figureheads and leaders, not combatants.

''I spent a vast amount of time training for my depature from the castle.'' the princess replied."We have no time for idle banter. Come, let us move on!"

The knight swung down the pole as the mercenary bound through the doorway. The pair saw one another as irrelevant blemishes in the backdrop of the room, where colourful sets lay leaning against the wall. They met in a near collision when the armour clad man leapt down directly into the path of the blond haired foxed shinobi who stopped himself in mid-stride, but the older and taller man stood his ground searching the bandit before him, and then moving his eyes to the white-hooded girl bringing up the rear.

"Aha!" he shouted, relieved. He stuck his chest out with pride."Princess! I, Steiner, have come to your rescue!"

Garnet had to stifle a groan. Steiner was always overzelaous and fanatically devoted her safety. She turned, hoping to escape

Stifling a groan, Garnet turned away hoping to skedaddle back through the series of corridors she'd just been led through. However, another knight presented himself through the entryway, sealing her in.

"You needn't worry, Your Highness!" he said. There was something about the relaxed way he saluted and sounded placed e Garnet relax. Beneath the rim of his ill-fitting helmet the boy's eyes were glinting. Cinna had reacted to his appearance at all, but Naruto hesitated for a moment, reading his body language before realizing it wasn't a Pluto Knight.

"Good work!" called Steiner, shooting his fist upwards in a gesticulation of victory. "This will be remembered as the Pluto Knights' finest hour!"

The second knight started laughing, but it wasn't the cheerful, proud chortle of a man who had done his duty, ''Hehehe… Just relax, Princess. We'll get you outta here!" Disbelieving, Steiner glanced down at the cool character in front of him; sure enough the boy's face was alive with a gloating smile.

"WHATT!" the Captian screamed; his armour rattled as his rage sent him into a series of quick jumps. "You're not one of my knights!" He said it as much to himself as to the cantankerous fiend who'd tricked him. Angered, the knight lifted his sword and charged forward. "Villains!" he shouted, "How dare you trick the Princess!" he brought the weapon down only for it to clash against Naruto's kunai. ''Get her out of here.'' Naruto shouted as he pushed back against the knight causing him to stumble back before Naruto jumped kicked him through the wall.

''What the hell Mercenary! You damage our ship you best believe it'll come out of your pay!'' Blank shouted.

''Juat get her out of here!'' Naruto snapped.

"I'll never give up!" Steiner announced. He raised his sword so it stood the blunt edge between his eyes. A blue glow consumed the blade, tinting the steel with a cobalt flare as he slowly lowered it into an attack stance. With the end of the weapon burning, Steiner clutched the hilt in both hands, hoisted the sword above his head and ran at the blond his blade managing to break the steel of his kunai.

''No time for this!'' Naruto remarked as he brought up his fingers and created two clones. ''Now, retreat!'' Naruto remarked, turning to the princess as he left the knight to deal with his clones.

King Leo walked out of his castle, proud, with an expression of gloating twisting his roughened features. "Tonight, I shall finally see my daughter Cornelia betroth'd to Prince Schnieder," he said to himself. "And then Prince Schnieder and his kingdom will be mine!" he erupted into a mighty laugh, dug from the depths of his throat, maximised by his sense of victory. "Gwahahahaha!"

From the castle entrance, King Leo's two rhino servants dragged the struggling form of a beaten Marcus to the king. With a satisfied smirk, Leo approached them.

"Your majesty!"

"We have caught an intruder!"

The king leaned in close to Marcus's face. "Why, my poor Marcus!" he said, feigning worry over the man's bruised eye and cut lip. He turned and strode away a few steps, and his tone became serious once more. "Hark lad. No matter how much thou dost treasure Cornelia… no matter how deeply she might believe she doth love thee… never shall I see her marry a peasant such as thee! When yon bell strikes three, under the axe thou shall be."

Across the castle courtyard rang the chimes of the village bell. Two cries of imminent death.

Naruto and Garnet wound up in the under-stage, the deck residing directly below the performance area. Machines operating the scenery above were whirring and cranking, and four circular floor panels formed a line at the far end of the room, but otherwise the pair were at a dead end.

"What now? We cannot go any further!" Garnet asked, panicked.

Naruto glanced around, trying to see what he could do. ''The play, we're going to improvise.'' he said.

''Wha...'' Garnet was about to ask only for Naruto grab her wrist and jerk her onto the stage.

''HEY! Cinnabon or whatever your name! The lever!'' he shouted to the thief who came bounding into the room heading straight for the device standing quietly near the odd floor panels.

"Hey Mercenary! Get on Number Two!" he said.

The platform beneath the princess and the mercenary started to lift upward on a jack, clicking as the activated lever returned to its original position. Steiner had managed to use some widespread attack to dispell his clones. Steiner yanked another lever and quickly jumped onto the platform beside the one which had taken the princess onward. Sure enough the system began to grind, and he too was carried through a hole on the ceiling.

The third bell chimed. Leo paced away from his victim proclaiming "Futhermore!" ready to tell the despicable cur every defox tail of his parent's demise, to riddle him with mental torture in the final minutes of his life-

But, the stage panel nearest Baku clattered open. The boss turned first to Marcus, to check he hadn't forgotten something, but the troll, still pretending to struggle, looked as startled as his boss did. The actors turned their attention to the people now rising up onto the stage; Naruto and the shrouded Princess clinging to his arm joined them on the stage, causing them to whisper and wondered what was going on. Taken aback, Baku glanced first at Naruto who gave him a shrug, and then at the lady beside him who blushed under his gaze.

"P-Princess Garnet!" he whispered.

"You lot!" Naruto responded "No time to explain, improvise!"

A second panel opened making way for a man in a steel knight's ensemble to enter the performance. Once the platform had clicked into place, Steiner found himself facing a large gathering of people. "Ho? What's all this?" he asked himself.

The audience were beginning to become restless, muttering among themselves about the sudden change of pace. Taking charge, Marcus, who wasn't exactly sure what was happening, but couldn't wait to hear the story, wrenched his arms free of his Rhino brothers and stepped towards the princess.

"Cornelia!" he cried.

Flustered, Garnet stared at him; everything she knew about the play, and she knew a lot about this one, clustered together like paper in a storm. "Um…"

"Marcus is Cornelia's lover," Naruto reminded her, a quick whisper in her ear. She knew that. Tentatively she stepped towards the man, trying to recall her acting classes, pushing out any concept of herself to replace with this character. Cornelia, a love-stricken princess controlled by her father.

"Oh Marcus," she tried; her voice was shaky, but emotional.

"Impressive," Naruto quietly encouraged.

"Ahaha, I have studied drama, you know," Garnet said, giggling a little in her embarrassment.

"Okay guys, let's keep going. Brahne's still watchin' after all," said Baku.

Naruto got into his role. It was easy, he had experience in such a thing. Naruto, the troll portraying Marcus, and the two masked rhinos behind him turned to their leader and hit their hands against their hearts. Garnet was dumbfounded by the gesture; meanwhile Steiner, still with no clue as to where he was, maintained his position and swivelled about as if in awe of everything. Then as though nothing had happened, the troupe became their characters again. Marcus lifted his arms to embrace his lover, and this time Garnet was ready.

"Oh Marcus," she said, relieved. "I missed you so." She allowed herself to fall against the troll's chest, and continued as his tattooed arms wrapped around her. "I wish never to leave thy side. Prithee, lead me from this place!"

"See, King Leo? Thou shouldst give them thy blessing!" he began, trying to appeal to any compassion deep within the monarch.

Something unusual passed over Leo's face as he watched his daughter smiling in the arms of the man she loved; the harshness lifted from his eyes, the corners of his lips relaxed, but it was fleeting and the sternness returned as he looked away. "Never!" he proclaimed, and turned back to his child. "Never leave his side, thou sayest? Foolish banter! I'll not allow it!"

Baku caught sight of the knight from the corner of his eye as he was speaking. The man stood glaring out into the stands, his shoulders hunched and his arms hanging like he was some form of ape. In response, some of the audience were staring back, turning to their neighbours and quietly whispering. Even the queen was squinting down at him, perplexed by his sudden appearance. Thinking fast, Baku went on "Cornelia shall marry none other than this man-" and he summoned the name of the only character that hadn't yet made an appearance on stage. "Prince Schneider!" Pleased with the audience's nods of realisation, Baku strode over to the man and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Is that not so, Prince Scheider?"

The man's bottom lip dropped like an anchor and his eyes widened. "M-marry the princess? Me!" he said.

"Aye! And this traitorous crew, I will put to death!" shouted King Leo. He summoned his guards over. Marcus reluctantly broke away from his love, and together with Naruto, ran to meet the rhinos. They punched and kicked at the guards, quickly taking down their adversaries.

"Oof!"

"Ow!"

"Too many of them!"

"Run away!"

The rhinos fled to either side of the stage. King Leo, in a last ditch attempt to reclaim his daughter's will, walked to Cornelia. "Pray, sweet daughter, come home to the castle with me."

"Nay, Father! I shan't return!"

"Cornelia …" pleaded the king, "Trouble me no more. This wedding is for thine own welfare. Be mindful of that."

"Not if I can help it!" announced Marcus, catching their attention. "Now is my moment of vengeance! For my parents, and for my love, Cornelia," he drew his sword from its sheath, slowly so the schlink sound echoed, and posed the tip at the fiendish king. "I shall cut thee down!"

Marcus charged at Leo, sword posed to spear his shrivelled heart, but the man backed away. The princess lost sight of who wielded the blade, seeing instead only a weapon about to kill her father. Garnet wasn't sure where it came from, but at the thought of losing her father she lost control, jumping in front of the false king so the sword took Cornelia's life instead. "Ngh!" The harmless weapon passed between her arm and her torso, and she shuddered in feigned agony, falling to her knees, and then sideways onto her back.

"No… Cornelia!" Marcus cried.

They killed the princess! Steiner, arms raised over his head, had watched a heathen plunge a sword into the heart of the heir. He couldn't move, he couldn't even breathe, he just stood frozen staring at the dying princess.

"Mar…cus, forgive me. I still love my father…" she choked.

"Cornelia!" King Leo fell to his knees at his daughter's side.

"Princess!" Steiner shrieked, flopping down and shaking his hands in despair and disbelief. How could he have let this happen?

"Prithee, forgive my selfishness, Father, and spare my sweet Marcus…" the last word hovered alongside her dying breath. The red edge of her hood covered her eyes as her head dropped, and her arms lay limp beside her wounded torso.

"What have I done! Am I never to hear her loving voice again! Am I cursed never again to feel her soft touch! O, cruel fate! Thou hast robbed me of all I treasure!"

After his impromptu monologue, Marcus turned the sword towards himself and without hesitation pretended to pierce his own heart.

"Marcus!" Naruto said, leaning out to stop him, but too late.

"Ngah!"

He tumbled backwards, crashing down beside his love so her pale face would be his last sight, and his body went limp, just as Cornelia's had.

"Oh, my!" Queen Brahne said to herself, tears welling up in her eyes at the tragic end to the lover's lives. "This year's show is splendid!" she covered her eyes with her hand, suddenly overwhelmed, and shook her body. "Waaaaaaa!" Belly jiggling left and right, she openly wept, streams of tears filling the creases in her face. "Why did she have to die! Why!"

About to share this heart-rending moment with her daughter, Queen Brahne turned to find the girl was still missing. _Now, where could Garnet be?_ The play was almost over, but the Queen had had no report on her whereabouts. The thought was pushed away again, however, when Brahne saw the two bodies laying on the stage. A lump rose in her throat and the faucets in her eyes burst. "Boo-hoo-hoooo!"

"Wow, what a show!" commented Puck. He and Vivi, having found themselves frequently obstructed in the back row, had made their way to the front of the stands on the platform the actors had used to stage their fight.

"Yeah," Vivi agreed, wiping his eyes. "So sad."

"I'm glad we climbed all the way over here. How 'bout you, huh?" The rat turned to Vivi, but his triumphant smile faded as his eyes became wide. "Uh-oh! Look out!"

Vivi spun and saw them, two guards hurrying towards them. The boy gasped and started to run behind Puck, down the platform towards the castle.

"Stop, you!" cried one of the guards. Their armoured shoes clanked heavily on the stone, so Vivi could both hear and feel them close behind him. "Come back, trespassers!"

There was nowhere to escape to at the other end of the stands, just a door which led into the castle, and Puck figured that wasn't a good idea even if it was left open. He led Vivi back around the guards, who fumbled to grab the pair as they passed, and back onto the audience. The wall was their best hope now. Vivi was keeping good pace with his friend, until a shifted podium separating the stands from the stage caught under his foot and sent him flying. He found himself a second later staring at the dizzying yellow of the courtyard paving; his knees throbbed with pain, and he was stunned, unable to focus or move. Annoyed, Puck came back to him, but when Vivi didn't stand and the guards were too close for comfort he huffed. "Fool! I'm outta here!" and Vivi heard the pitter-patter of Puck's nimble feet advancing without him.

As the shock ebbed away, Vivi managed to get back up. He hoped he could still follow his companion, but he could no longer see the rat, who had already fled. With the knights bellowing behind him, Vivi ran.

"Fury!"

"Come back here!"

"Forgive me!" moped King Leo. The man was still stationed on hands and knees leaning over the cooling body of his daughter. Behind them, Naruto knelt stoic beside Marcus's corpse. The audience were awash with sobs and whelps.

The knight's shock had transformed into dismay, and he was now overcome with a grief which rained down his face as tears. Unable to stare at her unmoving form any longer, he'd covered his face with his forearm, and his entire body shook. "Princess!" he wept, his voice croaking.

Naruto was the only one to see the boy running out from the darkened stands and into the glow of the stage-lights. At least, he assumed he was a kid from his height and the fact his face was concealed by the fringe of a hat. He crossed the bridge onto the air-ship, and turned back to face the crowd, pulling his hat straight with both hands.

"Leave me alone!" he shouted, but he sounded afraid, his voice unsteady, and when two knights appeared on the bridge behind him, he continued to run into the midst of the scene.

"Stop!" the guard called after him.

"Come back here!"

The trio of newcomers passed behind Naruto, where Marcus lay with one eye open, trying to see what was happening. The boy came round to the front of Baku, who was still feigning grief and jumped over the limp frame of the Princess. At that point he turned, his strange iridescent eyes suddenly glowing, and raised his hands out. The knights stopped abruptly at this action on the other side of Garnet, and sensing that the show was already officially ruined, Naruto stood. Motes of fiery sparks gathered around the boy's fingers, spreading to his palms where they settled a moment before growing into a ball. Without warning, three balls of flame shot out towards his aggressors. However, instead of reaching the men, the flames caught hold of Garnet's hood, smoking and spreading out quickly along the fabric. Steiner and Baku jumped back in horror, while the Princess, now ablaze, jumped to her feet, tearing the robe away from her body before she burned.

"Ow, that's hot!"

Thankfully, the hood came away easily, revealing the princess to her mother and to the audience, who gasped in recognition. While the robe fell harmlessly into the water, Garnet wiped away any embers which might have fallen on her clothes. Seeing her alive, standing before him in what appeared to be an orange jumpsuit, Steiner placed both hands on his helmet, and slowly shook his head in confusion.

"Yo mercenary! It's time!" Baku called. He rushed away off-stage.

"Princess Garnet! Let's get out of here!" Naruto said to the girl, she gave him a slow nod.

"What…" Steiner began, but had to stop. Everything was buzzing about his head like flies around spoiled meat. "What is going on!"

Quickly, her long dark hair swaying with the movement, the princess turned to the man, and in a tone both polite but firm said "Steiner! Don't follow me anymore!"

"Captain, sir! We await your orders, sir!"

Haagan, and another of his men were nearby. Real knights this time. It would be easy now to apprehend the lowlifes and restore the Princess to her mother; however, the heir herself had just given him an order and disregarding it was not an option, in fact, it was neigh on treason. "Hmmm… Well… Umm… Errr…" he fumbled for a conclusion, but in the end, his duty was to ensure the best interests of the Princess even if she didn't yet realise herself what that was. She needed to be secure at the palace with her family, not in the company of dangerous criminals.

"Princess! I'm afraid I cannot comply!"

"Stubborn as always aren't you?" she replied, her tone sharp.

"Come on, princess," the shinobi interrupted her. ''If I'm going to apply to your request we need to leave now.''

"Princess, wait!"

The Princess nodded, and turned from her bodyguard to follow Naruto across the stage. He stopped however when he noticed the kid sprawled on the deck; the poor guy. Marcus was with them also, taking point behind his brother, as he knelt to inspect the kid. The knight, who could no more act than a dog could recite the history of Alexandrian lore, was watching them closely.

"Hey, kid…" Naruto asked the boy gently. "You okay!"

The boy scrambled to his feet, assuming he was about to be arrested for trespassing. When he stood however, he found himself looking into the face of one of the actors. Embarrassed, Vivi pulled his hat so it sat properly over his brow, and turned to face the teenager. Another grizzlier looking figure stood behind him, and the girl he'd accidentally almost flambéed was also nearby. She didn't look hurt.

"Y-yeah. I just tripped, that's all…" he said.

"Princess, I cannot allow you to go! Seize them at once!"

The thieves were already clutching at their weapons, taking stance before the knight was finished speaking. With two of his men behind him, Steiner felt considerably more able to fulfil his duty; no longer was he outnumbered. Garnet was the first to strike him with a staff she had been concealing … somewhere. The hit wasn't hard, he could barely feel it beneath his armour, but it spoke volumes about the girl's determination, and it came with an expression etched with warning. Hurt more on the inside than anything else, Steiner returned her gaze, and raised his sword.

''No time for this!'' Naruto remarked as he began doing hand seals. Wind picked up around the blond as his clothes began to sway and his hair flapped wildly. The wind condensed and formed into that of a dragon and shot forward. The lower class knights were sent flying as the Knight Captain stood his place. ''You're stronger then you look Jangles, but I'm afraid its futile.'' he said as he held out his hand in preparation to form a Rasengan.

On the inside of the ship. ''Stabilisers configured!" Cinna assured his boss, after double-checking the gauge readings on the dashboard. Baku was stood behind the helm, every lever and button poised ready for take-off, behind him a small lantern illuminated a map which defox tailed their flight plan. 

"Good!" he replied.

Blank hurried into the helm-room from the stairway. "Engine room is good to go!" he explained, excitedly.

"Alright!"

The three thieves signalled to one another, hands over hearts and legs to attention, to give a final assurance that everything was running smoothly. "We're movin' out!" proclaimed Baku.

The crew hurried back to their stations, Blank to the engine room, and Cinna to the dashboard next to his boss, and even the rhino twins appeared from the doorway rushing through to their allocated points.

"Rodger that!" laughed Blank in response. "It's about time!"

The propellers spun into motion, slowly as first, but then they burst to full power and became blurred circles of beige in the light surrounding the helm room. The ship rocked to life, lifting from the pond; the maiden at the masthead smiled to the astonished crowds as she rose upwards. Those sitting had stood, confused and frightened and baffled as the show's abrupt end transfigured into it's sudden and unscheduled departure. The ship continued upwards towards the dark sky, a glowing spectacle against the navy tower roves behind it. On her balcony, the Queen was frantic with anger, her face flushed beneath the layer of make-up as she yelled at the soldiers around her. The stage came up past where she was standing, arms flailing at a young woman, teeth bared and eyes like slits. Beams of lights underneath the stage blinded her to attention. She saw one of the actors, sniggering at her, spinning to reveal a fox tail which he proceeded to swing at her mockingly. Next to him was her daughter, sitting, trying to remain steady as the boat shook. Queen Brahne's hands drew up like talons to cover her face. What did the girl thing she was doing?

Something exploded. Swinging her head around, Garnet watched helplessly as a harpoon soared through the air. It crashed forcefully into the side of the ship, splintering wood and spraying the deck with debris. The entire vessel shook and she screamed as she was thrown to the floor. Three more harpoons smashed into different parts of the ship. One of the propellers suddenly broke apart, toppling towards the ground. Meanwhile, a fire – much larger than the one that had caught on Garnet's robe – erupted in one of the towers. For a moment, the Prima Vista was dragged back down.

_This is it,_ Garnet thought, feeling nauseous. They weren't going to make it. "Don't worry!" Out of nowhere, Naruto appeared at her side. Resting a hand on her shoulder, holding her steady, ''I won't let any harm come to you princess.'' And, sure enough, despite the harpoons, the Prima Vista slowly regained the altitude she had lost. Shortly thereafter, with a loud, deep, rumbling groan, she broke apart from the portions of her bulk chained to the castle's walls. A tower fell, the hull splintered, and everywhere Garnet looked, the ship was crumbling to pieces.

"Are we going to make it?" the frightened little boy sitting beside them asked. Garnet and Naruto both glanced down at him, but even as they considered how best to reply, when suddenly something was fired from the canons.

Naruto braced himself for a blow which didn't happen. Instead, the ball shattered mid-air to reveal a gargantuan fireball rolling through the sky; it took form before Naruto's eyes, hands spreading out through the flames, and a dark orange mouth, complete with ignited teeth and hollow, jack-o-lantern eyes. A bomb monster! A fire elemental that grew with damage until it grew to a size where it was suicidally explode. 

Naruto, Vivi, Garnet, and Marcus all saw the creature soar down onto the stage, but Steiner mistook their seizing their weapons as an attack against him. He quickly shambled to his legs, and removed his sword, and ignored the sudden heat at his back causing trickles of sweat to run down his spine. In his mind they were planning something dastardly, throwing him overboard and make off with the princess.

''Out of the way! There's a bomb behind you!'' Naruto shouted.

"I'll not fall for such an old trick!" Steiner retorted, coming at Naruto and sending the blade towards his torso; the thief blocked with his unsealed Katana. He was able to narrowly avoide the blade slicing into his kidney.

"Please Steiner! Behind you!" pleaded Garnet.

"I'll not fall for such an old trick!" repeated the knight, and he was already aiming another blow at Marcus, scraping a trench into his arm as the thief turned to evade a direct hit to the chest. Garnet smacked Steiner again in her frustration. The beast grew again, so large now, that the knight stood as a shadow between it's eyes

''Damnit! No time for this!'' Naruto shouted as he leaped up and over. His fist impacted with the elemental, causing it to shirk back and let loose a shriek. The creature continued to grow, physical attacks having little effect on the creature. Its size grew enough when the shaodw filled the entire area and the Knight who was busy fighting Marcus finally realized that they were telling the truth.

When he stared up to see what cast it, he finally saw it; a bomb, and now at full size, ready to detonate. He fell to the floor whimpering and panicked, staring up at its mass jaws quickly filling with smoke.

''Oh sh...'' Naruto began as the creature detonated. 

The ship was consumed. The sound of the explosion ran through Alexandria, hitting those still on the streets with a shockwave, roaring and hot and deadly.

The queen squinted but smiled, as the glare of the blast reached her. Crimson smoke formed a cloud around the ruined vessel, shining brightly like a rising son as red and violet plumes radiated from the faraway vessel. Victorious, the Queen jumped and cheered, staring out, waiting for the ship to come crashing down. The seconds passed, but still she was unable to see the airship falling in its disgrace, and she leaned closer over the balcony straining to see if she had missed something.

To the Queen's dismay, the ship was still aloft. It was badly damaged, and flying at an angle, but the airship didn't waver. Garnet clutched the spear buried in the stage, severed from its chain by the explosion.

Blood bubbled in Brahne's arteries. Her grip on the fan intensified, until her nails dug into the palm of her hands; it snapped in her grasp as she watched the theatre ship pass from view into the darkness beyond the city; panting, Queen Brahne's breath burned with the energy of her rage.

Baku managed to guide what remained of the airship to the cliffs outside Alexandria, but after that the systems failed one by one, and the Prima Vista began to descend. The engines were overwhelmed by the power increase, and Baku lost control, the wheel no longer allowing him any influence over their landing. The gauges all but popped from their sockets as the gears ticked and hissed, trying to process the sudden income of fuel to no avail.

"We're gonna crash!" cried Cinna.

They tumbled through the sky barely able to stay upright. The trees appeared underneath them suddenly as the Mist cloud thinned, allowing streams of moonlight to reach the forest. As the hull brazed the leaves, forming a trench in the treetops, the engine let out a ghastly wail, and finally overloaded. For miles around, the beasts and monsters of the forest saw the fire rise up between the ferns.

"Garnet," Queen Brahne whispered, angrily. She'd been alone on the balcony for so long, the lanterns had burned cold and died, but someone had replaced her broken fan, allowing her to waft the warmth of her face. "I never imagined you would do such a thing," she spoke to the aphotic horizon, still able to see an image of the girl drawing away from her mother's grasp. "Perhaps you're not such a helpless little girl anymore…"

Daughter or no, Princess or no, a traitor of Alexandria, was a traitor to Alexandria and needed to be dealt with accordingly.

"Zorn!" The blue jester stepped out from beyond the chair where he had been hiding, afraid of the Queen's uninhibited anger. "Thorn!" The other twin stepped out to receive instruction. The Queen did not look at them, barely even acknowledged their presence; her eyes didn't leave the spot she'd been staring at for at least an hour. "Is our little experiment ready?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. It is combat-ready," Zorn assured her, jumping with anticipation. Would they at last get to use it?

His brother was over-zealous at the idea as well, and added "easily terminate Princess Garnet it can, Your Majesty."

"I need her alive!" she hissed back at them, swinging her hefty body around to glare at them. The jesters cowered away, covering their heads. "Bring her back at once!"


	4. Into The Evil Forest!

For The Sake of Gaia

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>Naruto x Garnet<br>0

Author's Note

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Once again, I do update and plan on finishing old stories. All of you who keep bitching I don't need to shut the hell up.

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>Story Start<br>0

Naruto awoke the misty fog of the Evil forest. The atmosphere was just as inviting as its same, the faint glow of the moonlight was the only thing that was remotely friendly in the green death trap. He was uninjured, no signs of cut or tears. He made his way to higher altitude to spot the ship.

He followed a trail of smoke, guided by his nose and the sound of crackling fire. Hopping from a trail of broken and rotten tries he made his way to remained of the Prima Vista.

"Owww … my back is killing me!" Baku lifted himself of the wheel, and turned to where Cinna was strewn over the console. "Are you alright?" Cinna had already pulled himself up and stepped nearer to his boss.

"Yeah, but the Prima Vista's wasted!"

The boss turned his attention to the smashed windscreen where the woods stared hungrily back at him. Figures in the distance moved across the creaks in the glass, strangely illuminated by the blueberry hue.

"Just our luck to crash into this forest…" he commented. "It's gonna get interesting…"

"What do you mean 'interesting' boss?" Cinna replied. "I hear no one's ever made it outta here alive." Like any place, the Evil Forest had its share of legends. Stories of brave adventurers, swallowed up by its depths, never to be seen again. Weary travels stopping for a rest, only to fall victim to the monsters.

"Boss!" Blank hurried in, panicked searching for the man amidst the chaos of fallen objects. "There's fire everywhere! It's outta control!"

"Quit yer whinin' and get it under control!" boomed the leader, un-phased, turning from the window to face both his comrade and the issue. "And get the wounded outta here!"

"Alright!" Blank said, and signaled to his boss in the traditional manner of their troupe before vacating the helm-room to get on with the tasks.

"Get our goods outta here, too: weapons, items, anything we can use!" Baku barked at Cinna. "There's no way we'll survive if all our stuff is toast."

"I'm on it!" and Cinna signed his acknowledgement, which was returned by Baku, before the pop-bellied creature ran after Blank to aid in the emergency.

"Phew…" huffed Cinna, slumped beside inventory he'd managed to save. "I'm beat…"

The injured turned out to be most of the orchestra, who'd fallen through the ship when the stage collapsed, and the backstage teams, who were what the stage had fallen onto. All the Tantalus brothers remained intact.

While the members of Tantalus were trying to minimize the damage Naruto continue his way to the ship. He walked past an ill-fated fern where a Moogle sat on a branch, overlooking the disaster. Naruto spotted one of the members of the band of thieves. "Where's the Princess?" he demanded.

"I don't know," the tailed boy nervously replied. "I didn't see her. All I know is that all of Tantalus is accounted for."

"No one else?" he pressed on as the boy nodded.

A growl escaped Naruto's lips. The Princess was missing? If she had been thrown off the ship during the crash it was likely she was dead. No, he couldn't think like that. He would not fail, he thought as he looked towards the forest. She was out there and he was going to find her.

"WHOOOA!"

Garnet and Vivi ran. . A steep hill led them into a clearing where a stony expanse prevented trees from taking root. The slope was angled so it carried up through a hole in higher ground. Vivi caught his foot on a jagged rock where the hill met the flat land.

"Are you alright?" Garnet asked. She'd heard him hit the ground, and turned to ran back and quickly aid him to his feet. This area was quiet void of the grumble of the beast that had been chasing them, but Garnet kept her ears open as she picked the boy up.

"I-is it still coming?" he asked. They turned to face the weird depression from which they had ran, scanning for any sign, but only the glow of the trees returned their gazes.

A thunderous ramble sounded again, but the beast couldn't be seen. Vivi backed away, a tight feeling twisting his stomach, certain the creature would come into view at any moment. Neither saw the shadow as it moved across the ground from the other direction, through the sheeted light of a bioluminescent tree, and stopped beneath Garnet's feet. Only when the darkness spread out like a pool below her boots did Vivi glance up and see it falling from above them.

"Watch out!"

Naruto continued to search, heading deeper into the forest. Now that he thought about it, it was most likely she was flung like he was. The sound of a roar alerted him and he dashed forward. Leaping over angled rocks he landed on a bit of water, a splash echoed in his ears along the sound of squishing as his feed waded through murky water and soften dirt.

He had come across the little mage. "Sh-she's in trouble…" Naruto's eyes quickly darted to where he was pointing.

The creature was some kind of plant with the shape of an uprooted stump. Whatever it was, the night was fighting it. It had clumsy cuts on its side as the creature tried to attack the night. That was when he set his eyes on her, the Princess was held in what looked like a prison of leaves and vines.

Steiner was shaking his fists at as though it were a child in need of strict discipline. "Release the princess at once!" he shouted.

Naruto ran up, arming himself with two kunai. "It's a monster; I highly doubt it's going to listen." He said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. Inside the mutant's clutches, Garnet was quivering. "Come on!" In response to his war cry, the beast stretched its tentacles.

Seeing the terrified look in Garnet's eyes caused Naruto to snap. A memory coursed through his eyes and the image of a young woman came to mind. '_Naruto-kun.'_ A surge of blinding chakra suddenly erupted from Naruto. It shrouded him in a near blinding array.

"Wh-what is that light!" Steiner stammered beside him.

An aura of blue, orange, and violet enraptured the blond. Something felt familiar, warm about this power. Naruto didn't answer, doing his best to focus his thoughts. "Could it really be Trance…!" The knight fumbled, quickly cycling through the theories in mind. Recalling what he has heard of this state.

"Now's not the time. We have to save the princess!"

The creature hadn't attacked them throughout this dialogue; instead it was raising its appendages to attack the bound Garnet. Naruto wasn't going to give the creature the chance. He surged forward; the two kunai plunged into its mid-section, causing the creature to let out a shriek as it lashed out as Naruto.

A barb ripped a tear into his cheek, but that didn't deter Naruto. He pushed the attack deeper, halting the creature in place as it tried to flee. While the monster was preoccupied Steiner struck the beast with his sword. The attack wasn't very effective, while the monster winced a little, the knight's weapon became lodged a moment in its sturdy flesh, and Steiner had to summon extra force to yank it back out again.

Naruto pulled back, his hands burning from the acidic like blood of the creature. Injured and outmatched the creature gave out a shriek and curled its appendages around the tree branches above. With a snarl it lifted itself high, into the shadow of the leaves, and disappeared from view taking Garnet with it.

"Princess? PRINCESS!" Steiner called.

The swirling energy began to softly recede. "Calm down, you're wasting your breath. That monster looked like a hive type, a mere minion." Naruto explained as he brought his hand together in a cross. Ten puffs of smoke formed and out of them stood ten identical Narutos. "Spread out and search for the Princess. Dispel once you find her." He ordered as they all went off in different directions.

"By the Queen!" Steiner gasps. "So you're not just a thief, but a sorcerer as well!" he accused.

Naruto ignored him; he turned his attention to the trembling mage. "She's gone," he said, and walked over to where he had tripped, remembering how the princess had returned for him. Ashamed, he turned to the others who were still searching the boughs above for any sign of her. "I was too scared to cast any spells… That monster's probably going to eat her…" and racked with guilt he covered his face, lowering his head to hide himself beneath the brim of his hat.

"How could I let this happen!" moaned Steiner.

"Stop wailing night. Once my copy finds her and dispel I'll get the information, meaning I can lead us right to her."

The knight's face lit up like a freshly sparked candle. "Come! We must go find her at once!"

"Quiet! I need to focus!" Naruto hissed as he closed his eyes. Recklessly pursuing the Princess without knowing the creatures or lay out of the forest was highly dangerous, this way they would have a heads up and know what to expect.

Before any of them could react, another of the plant creatures swung itself down on the mage. Upside-down, its spread leaves fixed themselves over the boy, securing him in a cage like that which had held the princess. Both Naruto and Steiner withdrew their weapons, taken aback by the sudden appearance of the thing. It hung there a moment suspended, and then flipped itself over. Inside its trap, Vivi screamed. With its vines suspended, the beast prepared to swing away as before, but Naruto sliced its vine off with ease, and Steiner followed suit with the other.

"Let me go! Help me!" Vivi cried. He trembled as his captor fell down off the branches.

Vivi saw the two men ready to fight for his freedom, and the moment the creature had landed, he summoned his courage and called upon his magic. Fire ignited underneath the monster, blasting upwards in bright yellow flame, coating the beast in a cloud of heat which reached just below where Vivi sat atop its head.

Naruto watched as the creature squirmed from the assault, the heat of the flames as it licked across its body gave him an idea. "Keep using magic mage! Give me some time and I'll prepare a killing blow!" he spoke to Vivi and Steiner respectively.

Naruto closed his eyes and used Senjutsu to feel the life force around him. Despite the dark nature of the forest, there was still life. There was still nature for him to draw power from. Every time Vivi struck with fire the creature Steiner would carve away the darkened and burn roots and vines. The atmosphere around the battle site began to dry out. Naruto opened his eyes just in time to see the last of the creature's coating to be burned away. Raising his hands he materialized a small sphere of water. Putting some more effort into it the air around him began to chill, sending shivers through his body. With a cry the water shaped itself into a javelin and froze and with a mighty heave Naruto launched the attack, piercing the creature and breaking its hold on the mage.

Fire alone wasn't the enemy of plants, Ice was just as deadly. Naruto's head dropped slightly as he heavily breathed. Despite his great affinity for Wind, his affinity for water was nowhere near as strong and as a result using Ice Jutsu took a lot out of him.

"Phew… Th-Thanks…" Vivi was still gazing at the fallen plant-thing, but turned to face his saviors.

"Are you alright?" Naruto asked him, scanning him for any obvious sign of injury. Vivi could see the mercenary was bleeding on his face and he was exhibiting signs of exhaustion.

"Y-Yeah… I think so."

"That's good to hear because we are going to need you. The Princess has been found." Naruto stated as he turned in the direction of the dispelled clone and began making his way towards where the Princess was held.


End file.
